Supporting structure for packing-boxes



E. A. KRING.

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR PACKING BOXES APPLICATION FILED AUG.II, 1919.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

as 48 J /r m fia on 80 +1 /7 A? L' as av -I /z a 1 76 z/ffvess: 11: INVENTOR ATTORNEY E. A. KRING.

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR PACKING BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11, 1919.

1,394,028. Patented 001:.18, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. A. KRlNG. SUPPORTING-STRUCTURE F'0 R PACKING BOXES. v APPLICATION FILED ,AUGJI, 1919- 1,394,()28 Patented Oct. 18, 1921 Jive/1X01: win:

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. KRING, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR PACKING-BOXES.

Application filed Aug-ust 11, 1919.

1' 0 (1H whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. Knino, citizen of the United States, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Support ing Structures for PackingBoxes, of which the following is a complete specification.

The presentinvention relates to apparatus for supporting packing boxes, crates, or the like, during the operation of packing the same, and aims to provide an improved box supporting structure in which is included suitable mechanism for altering the position of the box carrier: in accordance with the needs of the packer in filling different portions of the box.

Accordingly one of the objects in view is to devise a box supporting apparatus having a box carrying member provided with means for mechanically shifting said carrying member for reversing the position of the box end for end.

A further object in vie is to provide an apparatus of this character adapted, under conditions requiring it, to have an initial endwise movement imparted to the box carrier for the purpose of enabling it to be freely swung in a horizontal direction, together with provision for rotating the carrier through a half revolution and again moving it endwise in an opposite direction into original but reversed position. A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described including suitable latching and stop ping mechanism for limiting the movements of the carrier and latching it at the required points for the purpose of cooperating with the carrier shifting means in effecting the changes in the position of the carrier and of the box supported thereby.

A still further object in view is to provide a supporting construction of this type in which the box carrying member may be supported in tilted position, when desired, for presenting the box in more convenient position for packing purposes, the arrangement being such as to permit a certain degree of adjustment of the tilted position of the carrier.

It is also sought to device a practical and efiicient construction for accomplishing the objects in view, which will be convenient in its operation and adapted to effect an econ- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Serial No. 316,871.

omy in the and the like.

lVith these general objects in view the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one form of construction which has been devised i for embodying the proposed implOYSHlGIltS, after which the novel features thereinwill. be particularly set forth and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a box supporting apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention (the box being omitted) Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, representing a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, with one side of the framework partly broken away to show the latch element;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus; Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse and longitudinal sections taken on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 3;

1* 6 is a plan view illustrating a box supported upon the apparatus, with broken lines representing the position of the parts after a slight endwise movement has been imparted to the carrier as hereinafter described; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view illustrating the position of the parts afterthe carrier has been turned through a quarter revolution.

Referring now to the said drawings in detail, these show a supporting framework comprising a base portion 8, end standards 10 and a top portion made up of end cross pieces 12 connected by spaced longitudinal members 13, 1 1 and 15 (see Figs. 2, 1 and 7), the cross pieces being pivotally connected to the standards 10 by means of bolts 17 and wing nuts 19, whereby the top portion may be secured in any desired tilted position for carrying the box at a corresponding inclination to the horizontal to suit the needs of the workman or packer. The middle longituoinal member 14 of the top portion of the framework is formed with a guideway 16 (see F 5) in which is mounted a flanged reciprocating block 18 on which is carried a rotary disk 20 of larger diameter than said guideway and cooperating with the flange portions of said block 18 to retain the latter within the guideway. Secured to the rotary disk 20 by means of bolts 22 and a work ofpacking boxes, crates,

plate 24 (Figs. 3 and 5) is a box carrier comprising an oblong frame of substantially the same size as the top portion of the lower supporting framework and made up or end pieces 26 connected by spaced longitudinal members 28, 29 and 30, the side members 28 and 30 being provided with box-retaining angle pieces 32 and the end pieces having box-supporting plates 34- provided with sawtooth edges as illustrated in Fig. 2. Extending through the middle longitudinal member 29 and its plate 24 as well as centrally through the disk is a bolt 36 pivotally connecting said parts with the reciprocating block 18, whereby said carrier is mounted for swinging movement about the axis of said bolt. Secured to. the bottom of the carrier frame is a metallic ring 38 which rests upon suitable wear strips 10 secured to the longitudinal members 13 and 15, by which means the weight of the carrier and its load is distributed equally upon both sides of the framework for all positions of V the carrier.

Mechanical means is provided for imparting the necessary swinging movement to the box carrier for changing the position of the box 12 supported thereby, said means in the illustrated construction comprising a foot lever 44- fulcrumed in one of the ends of the base portion 8 of the framework and provided with a cable 4-6 which is carried over a pulley 48 attached to one of the top cross pieces 12 and thence around a pair of pulleys 50 attached to the other cross piece 12, at which end of the framework a Strong coil spring 52 is secured to the end of the cable and to the base portion 8. The por tion of the cable 16 intermediate the pulleys 50 is looped around the rotary disk 20, being fitted within the peripheral roove of said disk, said intermediate portion of the cable being also provided with a suitable metallic lug 54: adapted to be brought by the movement of the cable into alternate engagement with a pair of notches 56 formed in the periphery of the disk 20 at diametrically opposite points thereon. Depressing the lever it, therefore, will operate to pull on the cable 46 and engage the lug 5 1 with.

one of the notches of the disk 20 and thereby rotate the latter along with the carrier frame, the spring 52 reversing the movement of the cable and dragging the lug 54 back around the disk past the other notch 56 in position for engaging the latter notch at the next operative movement of the cable.

One of the ends of the supporting framework is provided with a stop flange 58 secured across said end and around the corner overlying the outer end of the lever 44. This forms a stop means initially barring any rotary movement of the carrier until the latter 7 is disengaged from said flange; obviously this flange structure also represents the same situation as would be presented if this end of the apparatus were located directly against a wall or other object extending up above the apparatus and therefore obliging the carrier to be swung backward away from the wall in order to clear the same before beginning its rotary movement. This necessitates an initial endwise movement of the carrier, for accomplishing which I provide a lever 60 fulcrumed in brackets 62 on one of the standards 10 and having its upper end connected by means of a pivotal link 61 with the reciprocating block 18. The connections between the parts 18, 60 and 64 (as well as the fulcrum mounting of said lever 60) are sufficiently loose to permit the slight tilting adjustment of the top portion of. the framework about the axis of the bolts 17, hereinbefore referred to. A strong coil spring 66 connects said link 64: with the framework in such a manner as to pull said link 64 and the block 18 in the direction of the stop flange 58, so that the box carrier frame is normally held in engagement with said flange. The lower or free end of the lever 60 extends down underneath the lever in position to be engaged and swung thereby during the initial movement of said lever 14 and thereafter held substantially stationary during the further downward stroke of said lever 44; and in this connection it will benoted that the lug 5 1 is so located on the cable 16 as to have a certain extent of idle movement during the initial swinging of the lever 44% in order to permit this operation of the lever 60 prior to the engagement of said lug with the rotary disk 20 for rotating the carrier. A vertical rod 68, formed in two sections adjustably connected by a sleeve 69 and a clamp screw 71, is mounted on the supporting framework in position for sliding engagement by the lever 14 in order to reinforce said lever and to steady its movement, the sectional form of said rod 68 being for the purpose of accommodating said tilting adjustment of the top portion of the framework provided by the bolts 17.

Automatic stop means are provided for limiting the rotation of the carrier to a half revolution and thereby exactly reversing the position of the box 42. This means comprises a lever 70 fulcrumed in a bracket 72 secured to the under face of the longitudinal member 15, with one arm of said lever carrying a pivotal link 7 at provided with a finger 7 6 at its lower end ada )ted to be engaged and depressed by the lever 44:; the other arm of the lever 70 projects under neath a pivoted bar 7 8 provided with a stop lug 80 at its outer end (see Fig. 3). The link 74 is formed in sections adjustably connected by means of bolts 75 and slots 77, for the purpose of accommodating the angular adjustment above referred to in connection with the bolts 17. The bar 78 is normally maintained in lowered inoperative position by the action or gravity, with the stop lug out of the path or the carrier, but when the lever ll is depressed, thereby rocking the lever 70, said bar '78 is raised and the lug SO brought into the path of the carrier and the movement of the latter thus limited to a halt revolution. The length of the link 7% is adjusted so as to allow engagement of the lever a l with the finger 76 only toward the end of said levers downward movement, in order that the bar 78 will not be lifted until after the carrier has turned approximately a quarter revolution. without interference with the stop lug 80.

Further means is provided for cooperating with the stop flange 58 in retaining the carrier in its normal working or statonary position while the box is being packed, as well as operating automatically to prevent any reversal in the carriers movement after each partial rotation thereof. This means takes the form of a latch 82 pivoted in a bracket Set on theopposite side of the apparatus from the stop lug 80. This latch 82 is actuated by a spring 86 normally into the path of the carrier and is formed witl av beveled outer face whereby the carrier is allowed to ride freely over the latch in the direction of the stop lug 80, after which the latch swings back into engagement with the side of the carrier frame and prevents any reverse movement thereot. F or engaging and depressing the latch 82 and holding the same depressed during the turning of the carrier, each end of the carrier frame is provided with a bottom wear strip S3 of arcuate form, and each strip 83 is formed with an upwardly projecting wear extension which engages said latch 82 during the longitudinal or endwise sliding movement of the carrier hcreinbet'ore referred to.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing, but may be briefly summarized as follows. Th apparatus is specially designed for use in the packing of boxes or crates having a plurality of compartments, Figs. 6 and 7 illustrating the apparatus constructed for operation with a packing box 42 having two compartments, one of which has just been filled or packed. and it is desired to reverse the position of the box in order to bring its other r empty compartment into packing position without requiring any change in the packers position, it being understood that inlarge plants the troughs or conveyers which convey the fruit or other product to the packer occupy a definite fixed relation to the packing tables, and ordinarily the box has to be shifted around by hand during the packing or else the packer will find it considerably more of a task to fill the compartments which are located farther away from the conveyor. Fig. 6 shows the normal position of the parts, with the packing oft one of the box compartments justcompleted, and one end of the box in engagement with the stop flange 58 and its ther end engaged by the latch element 82. The packer now depresses the lever l the first operation of which effects, through the medium of the lever 60, an endwise movement of the carrier and box, as represented by the broken lines in Fig. 6, to disengage the carrier frame from the stop flange 58 and also to afford full clearance for the swinging movement of the carrier. So far, the catch lug 54 on the cable 46 has moved idly from its position shown in Fig. 3, and now enga es one of the notches 56 of the rotary disk 20, whereupon the continued pull on the cable causes said disk to rotate, together with the carrier, following the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7.

Jitter it has passed through the quarter-turn position represented in the latter view, the

final movement or the lever let operates through the lever 70 to raise the bar 78. throwing the stop lug 80 up into the path of the carrier so that the movement of the latter is stopped at exactly a haltrevolution. The carrier has meanwhile passed over the latch element 82, which has simply been depressed out of the path of the carrier, but now springs back into latching engagement with the opposite edge of the carrier from the stop lug 80. The carrier now occupies a position similar to that indicated by the broken lines in Fig. (3, but with the filled and unfilled compartments of the box in exactly reversed relation. and any further rotary movement in either direction is prevented by the stop 80 and the latch 82. The lever is now released and raised under the pull of the spring 52, the stop lug 80 drops, and the spring 66 pulling on the arm G l operates to impart a quick endwise move mentto the carrier and bring the same back again into engagement with the flange 58: the spring 52 also drags the lug 54: backward around the periphery of the disk 20 and past the other notch 56 with which it will engage on the next operation of the lever 44. While this leaves the stop lug 80 in inoperative position, the carrier is of course no longer free to rotate after the end thereof has become ret ngaged with the stop flange 58.

A supporting apparatus is thus provided wherein a single operation of the foot-lever is sufiicient to produce a semirotation of the carrier and box for reversing the position oi"? the box and enable the packer to conveniently pack the other compartment of the box without changing his position or having to manipulate the box by hand to bring it into the desired position. The provision of the tilting structure, comprising the pivotal and adjustable supporting bolts 17, also enables the carrier to be tilted and clamped in inclined position for present ing the box at whatever angle of inclination best suits the needs of the packer, and this angular position in no way interferes with the operation of the carrier rotating means in the manner described. The operation of the apparatus is easy and convenient and results in a great saving of labor and time, inasmuchas where a box of the usual size is filled with fruit it becomes heavy and cumbersome, and unwieldy and difficult to handle, especially in view of the fact that a large percentage of the force in some plants is composed of women and young persons. Where the packing bench or table, or lower supporting structure, comes up against a wall or the like, the importanc of the provision for the initial endwise movement of the box carrier becomes evident, since it is this movement which not only frees the carrier for rotary movement but also produces the necessary clearance for allowing said rotary movement to take place freely for a half-revolution. lVhile I have illustrated and described foot-operated means for effecting the required mechanical operation, it is obvious that any source of power may be applied for producing such mechanical action, the essential feature of the invention being an angularly adjustable or tiltable carrier structure having the mechanical means for partially rotating the carrier frame and latching it in either of its positions, together with further provision for imparting a slight endwise movement to the carrier frame where the conditions require such additional endwise movement for the purpose stated.

While the foregoing represents what I now regard as the preferred form of construction for embodying the proposed improvements, I desire to reserve the right to make such formal changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the ap Jended claims.

iaving described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said frame, and mechanical means for rotating said boxcarrying member to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting 7 frame.

3. packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame having a top portion adjustable to various angles with reference to a horizontal axis, a swinging box-carrying member carried bysaid top portion of the frame, and mechanical means for rotating said box carrying member to reverse the position of the box with referenc to said supporting frame. 7

4B. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame having an inclined top portion, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said top portion of the frame, and mechanical means for rotating said box-carrying member to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame. 7

5. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame having an inclined top portion, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said top portion of the frame, and mechanical means operative to impart an initial endwise movement to said boxcarrying member and thereafter rotate said member to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame. I

6. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame,'a swinging box-carrying member carried by said frame, mechanical means operative for rotating said box-carrying member to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame, and means acting automatically to latch said box-carrying member at the end of a half-revolution of said rotary movement.

7. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said frame, mechanical means operative to impart an initial endwise movement to said boxcarrying member and thereafter rotate said member to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame, and means acting automatically after said rotating action to impart an endwise movement to said carrying member in a direction op posite to said first endwise movement.

8. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said frame, mechanical means for rotating said boxcarrying member to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame, and stop means acting automatically to limit said rotary movement to a half revolutionand thereafter returning to inoperative position.

9. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said frame, mechanical means operative to rotate said box-carrying member to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting supporting apparatus comprising traine, a swinging a box-carrying member c1 ed by said frame, mechanical means operative to impart an initial endwise movement to so 1 ing member and thereafter rotat said member to-reverse he position of the b x with reference to l l supporting i raine, automatic latching means engaging op ositc sides of said cl rrying member at the end of said rotary movement to retain said member against further movement, and means acting automatically after said rotating action to impart an endwise movement to said carrying member in a direction opposite to said first endwise movement.

11. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried said frame a fixed stop element engaging one end oi said carrying member, a movable latch engaging the other end of said carr 3 her and cooperat ng with said step element to prevent rotation or sell member, and means. operative to impart an initial endwise movement to said carrying member to discnQ-age said stop el r -ent and therea ter ro ta'e said n r tion of box-carryname, said latch b ing arranged o permit said rotary movement i l' i thereafter automatically latch' rying member against reverse rotation the end of halt revolution.

12. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging boxarlying member ca :i d by said frame, 1 stop element engaging one end of a iixeo saic carrying member, a movable latch on the other end of i aid carrying meml or and cooperating with said stop element temporarily prevent rotation of said mem ber, means operative to impart an initial tion, and means acting an on atically said rotating action to i L rt reverse ndwise movement to em carrying member to reengage the same with said stop element. 13. A paclri box upp rting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said frame, a fixed stop element engaging one end of said carrying member, a movable latch enthe other end of said carrying member and cooperating with said stop element to temporarily prevent rotation of said member, means operative to impart an initial eudwise movement to said carrying member to disengage said stop element and there after rotate said member to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting trail I said latch being arranged to i permit said rotarymovement in one direction and thereafter automatically latching said carrying member against reverse rotation, stop means acting automatically to limit said rotary movementto a halt-revolution, and means operating automatically after said rotating action to impart a reverse eudwlsc movement to said carrying member to the same with said stop element and allowing said stop means to return to inoperative position.

1:. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said frame and rotataole thereon to reverse the position oi the box with reference to said support ing frame, and means acting to automatically latch said member after a partial rotation to prevent reverse movement thereof.

15. A packing box supporting-apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said frame and movable thereon first in an endwise direction and thereafter in a rotary direction to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame, and means acting automatically to latch saic. member at the end of a haltrevolution of said rotary movementvto prevent reverse rotation of said member.

16. A j aching box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a swinging box-carrying member carried by said "frame and movable thereon first in an endwise di rection and thereafter in a rotary direction to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame, and means on- :said member during its endwise movement to hold it against rotary movement until the end of said endwise move ment.

box supporting apparatus pporting frame having an en op portion, a swinging box-carryoer carried by said top portion of rotatable thereon to reverse Oi the box with reference to A A packin ioni ing a s traiie and means acting to latch said meinl er after ation to prevent reverse move- .rr iaclting box support'ng ing member carried by said top portion of the frame and movable thereon first in an en'dwise direction and thereafterin a rotary direction to reverse'the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame, and means acting automatically to latch said member at the end of a half-revolution of said rotary movement to prevent reverse rotation of said member.

19. A packing box supporting apparatus comprising a supporting frame having an inclined top portion, a swinging box-carrymg member carried by said top portion of the frame and movable thereon first in an GRClWlSG direction and thereafter ina rotary direction to reverse the position of the box with reference to said supporting frame, and means engaging said member during its endwise movement to hold it against rotary movement until the end of said enclwise movement.

In Witness whereof I hereto aifix my signature.

EDWKARD A. KRING. 

